A warhead is that part of a bomb, missile, projectile, torpedo, or other munition with an explosive charge. Warheads require casings to provide strength, fragmentation, and other properties. Penetrating warheads, sometimes referred to as “bunker busters,” are designed to penetrate a protective barrier to reach targets shielded by the protective barrier. The protective barrier can include earth, rock, sand, water, man-made structures, and combinations thereof, for example. An exemplary target is an underground bunker room, for example—a reinforced man-made structure protected by layers of earth and/or rock.
A penetrating warhead typically has a stronger casing to enable the warhead to punch through the protective barrier to reach the target. The explosive within the warhead must survive the impact and delay detonating until it reaches a desired location to damage or destroy the target. When an explosive charge within a sealed casing is detonated, the casing absorbs some of the explosive energy in expanding and fragmenting the casing.